Friday, November 27, 2009

No Open Fire

...so the chestnuts were roasted in the oven. So much for romance.

But chestnuts are really yummy, especially roasted. You make little Xs on one plump side, so they don't explode in the oven. I roasted them at 425 for about 15 minutes. Because of the X, each succulent nut is easy to peel and the shell color is this rich warm brown.

They are good chopped and baked into dressing but we prefer to eat them out of hand. My husband's Italian family always has them after the big Thanksgiving meal, with wide slices of fresh fennel and assorted nuts-in-the-shell.

The turkey also spent time in the oven, being basted with olive oil and orange juice. Sweet and tender and very moist.